Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	act_n	church_n	parliament_n	3,629	5	6.4769	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74751	Queries of highest consideration, proposed to the five Holland ministers and the Scotch Commissioners (so called) upon occasion of their late printed apologies for themselves and their churches. In all humble reverence presented to the view of the Right Honourable the Houses of the High Court of Parliament.	Williams, Roger, 1604?-1683.	1644 (1644)	Thomason E32_8; ESTC R212639	13,716	21

Government as in Augustus Caesars tax to send their severall Priests and Deacons for other spirituall Officers then Bishops Priests and Deacons you know we have not to reforme or forme a Religion c We pray you to consider Dan. 3. Daniels Image a type of State Religions if the golden Image be not a type and figure of the severall Nationall and State Religions which all Nations set up and Ours hath done for which the wrath of God is now upon Us We pray you also to answer in what part of Christs Testament is found that title The Title the Assembly of Divines examined The Assembly of Divines and whether it be not in English The Church of Godly ones And as we Queried your ground for such a Church so have we also cause to pray you to tell us Where Christ Jesus hath given you power to assume and appropriate such a Title to your selves which seems in Scripture to be common to all the Children of God Some expresse it in Print and pulpit That title the Assembly of godly Divines examined the Assembly of godly Divines we derogate not from the worth or godlinesse of any of them yet you know the Assembly of Saints or godly Divines is no other in English then the Assembly or Church of Saints or godly godly ones All that will live godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution We presume you will grant others to be Saints and godly too in that sence but Oh that that whole Assembly or Congregation were truly resolved by way of Eminencie to lead all the godly in the Land in such a Christian practice QUERIE II. Whereas you both agree though with some difference that the Civill Magistrate must Reform the Church establish Religion and so consequently must first Judge and Judicially Determine which is True which is False or else must implicitly beleeve as the Assembly beleeves and take it upon trust and so consequently is he the Head Root and Fountain of the Supremacie of all Spirituall power and hath the power of the Keyes of opening and shutting heaven gates c. Of which power upon a grudge as 't is said about his Wife King Henry despoild the Pope King Henry the 8. set down in the Popes chaire and with consent and Act of Parlament sate down himselfe in the Popes Chaire in England as since his Successors have done We now Querie since the Parlament being the representative Common-wealth hath no other power but what the Common-weale derive unto The Common-weale yea the world the head of the Church and betrust it with whether it will not evidently follow that the Common-weale the Nation the Kingdome and if it were in Augustus his time the whole world must rule and govern the Church and Christ himselfe as the Church is called 1 Cor. 12.12 Furthermore if the Honourable Houses the representative Common-weale shall erect a Spirituall Court for the Iudging of Spirituall Men and Spirituall Causes although a new Name be put upon it A new High-Commission yet whether or no such a Court is not in the true nature and kind of it an High Commission And is not this a reviving of Moses and the sanctifying of a new Land of Canaan of which we heare nothing in the Testament of Christ Jesus nor of any other holy Nation but the particular Church of Christ 1 Pet. 2.9 Is not this to subject this holy Nation this heavenly Jerusalem the Wife and Spouse of Jesus the pillar and ground of Truth to the vain uncertain and changeable Mutations of this present evill world Who knowes not in how few yeares the Common-weale of England hath set up and pull'd down The Parlaments of Englands wonderfull changes in Religion The Fathers made the Children Hereticks and the Children the Fathers How doth the Parlament in Henry the 8. his dayes condemn the absolute Popery in Henry the seventh How is in Edwards the 6. his time the Parlament of Henry the 8. condemned for their halfe Popery halfe Protestanisme How soon doth Queen Maries Parlament condemn Edward for his absolute Protestanisme The present Parlament would have been esteemed Hereticall in former times And Elizabeths Parlament as soon condemn Queen Maries for their absolute Popery 'T is true Queen Elizabeth made Lawes against Popery and Papists but the Government of Bishops the Common Prayer the Ceremonies were then so high in that Queen and Parlaments eye that the Members of this present and ever renowned Parlament would have then been counted little lesse then Hereticks And oh since the Common-weale cannot without a spirituall rape force the consciences of all to one Worship oh that it may never commit that rape in forcing the consciences of all men to one Worship which a stronger arme and Sword may soon as formerly arise to alter QUERIE III. Whether since you professe to be Builders The only true Matter for a true Church are living Stones you have not cause to feare and tremble least you be found to reject the Corner stone in not fitting to him only living stones 1 Pet. 2. Of these living stones true Beleevers the costly Stones of the Temple were types and without true matter which as it is in all works in the World it is impossible to build a spirituall House unto God This matter the One of you confesse and practice the Other questions and mingles Sheep and Goats together contrary to the spirituall nature of the Lord Jesus and his true Pattern contrary to the nature of God who is a Spirit and will be Worshipped by Spirituall Worshippers contrary to the peace and safety of any naturall Soule and conscience hardned in a dream of Fellowship with God who saith to the ungodly What hast thou to doe to take my Covenant into thy mouth and hatest to be reformed Psal 50. QUERIE IV. Whether in your consciences before God you be not perswaded notwithstanding your promiscuous joyning with all that few of the People of England and Scotland Few of the people of England or Scotland living Stones and fewer of the Nobles and Gentry are such spirituall matter living stones truly regenerate and converted and therfore Whether it be not the greatest Courtesie in the world which you may possibly perform unto them to acquaint them impartially with their conditions and how impossible it is for a dead Stone to have Fellowship with the living God and for any man to enter into the Kingdome of God without a second Birth John 3. QUERIE V. Although the fame and sound is great of Reformation we Querie Impossible to reforme the dead in sin the spiritually living are only capable of reformation according to Christ Whether a dead soule is capable of any Reformation untill the first principle of Christianity Repentance Heb. 6.6 be found in him otherwise as a thousand severall renewed Forms of Apparell alters not the condition of a dead man or a thousand new Formes of Postures of an Armie

QVERIES OF HIGHEST CONSIDERATION Proposed to the five HOLLAND Ministers AND THE Scotch Commissioners SO CALLED Vpon occasion of their late Printed Apologies for themselves and their Churches In all Humble Reverence presented to the view of the Right Honourable the Houses of the High Court of Parlament LONDON Imprinted in the yeare MDCX. IV QVERIES OF HIGHEST CONSIDERATION Proposed to Mr. Tho. Goodwin Mr. Phillip Nye Mr. Wil. Bridges Mr. Jer. Burroughs Mr. Sidr Simpson AND To the Commissioners from the Generall Assembly so called of the Church Of SCOTLAND Vpon occasion of their late Printed Apologies for themselves and their Churches In all Humble Reverence presented to the view of the Right Honourable the Houses of the High Court of Parlament LONDON Imprinted in the yeare MDCXLIV TO THE Right Honourable Both Houses of the High Court Of PARLIAMENT Right Honourable IT is a wofull Priviledge attending all great States and Personages that they seldome heare any other Musick but what is known will please them Though our Musick sound not sweet but harsh yet please you first to know it is not fitted to your Eares but to your Hearts and the bleeding Heart of this aflicted Nation 'T is true we have been humbly bold to presume as Ester into Ahasuerus his presence against your Order For who can passe the many Locks and Bars of any the severall Licencers appointed by you with such a Message By such Circumscribing and immuring of your selves by such a Guard their Persons we honour and esteem it is rarely possible that any other Light but what their Hemispheare affoords shall ever shine on your Honours Souls though ne're so sweet so necessary and though it come from God from Heaven These Worthy and much esteemed Persons unto whom we Quaery we have heard to be Men of Conscience of Abilities and are in this worthy of double Honour that according to their Consciences they appear in the Front and present their Moulds and Patterns of Church Government from Holland from Scotland to our inquiring England Their mutuall just Exceptions which they have already or may further expresse against each others Tenents we leave to themselves though we might expresse them to our advantage We shall be humbly bold in the name of the Lord Jesus and the many thousand precious souls for whom he hath paid so deare a Ransome to present such Quaeries to your Honours view as respect their joint Agreement Pardon the I hrase like Ephraim and Manasseh though fighting each against other yet both against Christ Jesus the Lion of Iudahs Tribe we mean so farre as they appose the Truth and Purity of his last will and Testament Most Renowned Patriots You sit at Helme in as great a Storm as ere poor Englands Common-wealth was iost in Yet be you pleased to remember that excepting the affaires of Heaven of Religion of Soules of Eternity all your Consultations Conclusions Executions are not of the Quantity of the value of one poor drop of water or the little dust of the Ballance of Elaiah were a true Prophet Esa 40.15 Yet concerning Soules wee will not as most doe charge you with the loads of all the Soules in England Scotland Ireland Wee shall humbly affirme and by the help of Christ maintaine that the Bodies and Goods of the Subject is your charge Their Soules and yours are set on account to those that professe to be the Lights and Guides the Messengers and Embassadors sent from Heaven to them You will please to say We are constantly told and we believe it that Religion is our first Care and Reformation of that our greatest Taske Right Honourable your Wisdomes know the Fatall Miscariages of Englands Parliaments in this point what setting up pulling downe what Formings Reformings and againe Deformings to admiration Three Instances are dreadfull yet to expresse Seasonable First The last and best of Englands changes established Lord Bishops they and two more Priests and Deacons are by Law the established Ministers of Englands Church The former makes the latter so far as concerns a lawfull externall Calling The Lord Bishops themselvs are now Voted Antichristian Your Wisdomes then see what Callings by Law the other two sorts Priests and Deacons have all this while bin furnished with Secondly if hee that eates and drinkes the Body and blood of Christ unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne judgement and all English soules are bound by Law to cate that Body and Blood at sixteene who sees not since as t is confest scarce one of a thousand but is found ignorant Impenitent Unregenerate at those yeeres that the Body of the People are compelled by Law to eat and drink at sixteen their own judgment Thirdly for Non-conforming to these and other practises the English Masse-Booke c. what heavy Persecution have thousands felt and that by Law established We shall in all humble Reverence suggest our Feares that for the very Laws and Statutes of Englands Parliaments concerning Religion and happily for some not yet suspected the Lord Iesus hath drawne this Sword that 's daily drunke with English Blood It shall never be your Honour to this or future Ages to be confined to the Patterns of either French Dutch Scotch or New-English Churches We humbly conceive some higher Act concerning Religion attends and becomes your Consultations If he whose name is wonderfull Counsellor be consulted and obeyed according to his last Will and Testament as you may please in the Quaeries to view wee are confident you shall exceed the Acts and Patternes of all Neighbour Nations bighly exalt the name of the Son of God provide for the Peace of this distressed State engage the Soules of all that feare God to give Thankes and Supplicate for you further the Salvation of thousands and leave the sweet perfume of your Names precious to all succeeding Generations QUERIES PROPOUNDED To the five Holland Ministers and the Scotch Commissioners WORTHY SIRS IN serious Examination of your late Apologies we shall in all due respect and tendernesse humbly Querie Querie I First What Precept or Pattern hath the Lord Jesus left you in his last Will and Testament for your Synod What warrant from the Lord Iesus for the Assembly of Divines or Assembly of Divines by vertue of which you may expect his presence and assistance If you say as all Popish Synods and Councels doe the Pattern is plain Acts 15. Acts 15. examined We aske if two or three Brethren of one particular Congregation at Antioch sent to that first Mother Church at Jerusalem where the Apostles were who being immediatly inspir'd from God could say It seemeth good to the holy Spirit and Vs to lay upon you no greater burthen c. as also who had power to make Decrees for all the Churches Acts 16. We aske whether this be a Pattern A Nationall Assembly necessarily inforceth an Assembly of the whole world for a Nation or Kingdome and so consequently for more Nations and all the World if under one